


Keep Fighting

by darkenpieta



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Angst, Episode: s03e09 Unfinished Business, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28886169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkenpieta/pseuds/darkenpieta
Summary: Roslin has a word with Adama after his fight with Tyrol. Extra scene in Unfinished Business.
Relationships: William Adama/Laura Roslin
Kudos: 12





	Keep Fighting

Laura loved boxing. Ever since her father introduced her to the sport to her as a child, all those years ago. She loved the way it conjured the primal savagery of their ancestors; attacking as fiercely as possible to ensure survival. Sometimes she think that's why she become a politician.

She was particularly excited by the prospect of seeing the Admiral fight. She had no doubts that the crew would go easy on the old man but she suspected that they would be unwise to underestimate him. Bill had a lot of fight left in him.

She was shocked when, after it seemed like he wasn't going into the ring, that he suddenly challenged Galen Tyrol for a fight. Laura felt sorry for Galen. Sure he was a younger man, but he was an engineer who spends most of his days tinkering with ships. The Admiral, on the other hand, is fit and in shape, Laura could attest to that, having had the chance of getting up close and personal on New Caprica.

It soon became apparent, however, that the Admiral was not looking to win. At first she felt concerned for his health, she almost wanted to call off the match. She realised however, it was his fracked up way of repenting for leaving people down on New Caprica. And this annoyed her.

When the Admiral finally had enough, he left the arena. Closely followed by the President.

"When will you stop beating yourself up ?" She asked, handing giving him a towel.

He let out a merriless chuckle before wincing in pain.

"I don't know where you were standing, but it was the chief who put me in this condition."

"You know what I meant. You have to stop feeling guilty for every little thing or the fleet will find itself without an admiral."

"The apocalypse is not a little thing."

"Wow you have a flair for the dramatic these days Bill. You blamed yourself for nuclear holocaust last week when Bulldog was on board and now New Caprica. Hey, which way are you going?"

Laura stopped as Bill continued walking in the opposite direction to sickbay.

"To my quarters."

"Look at you Bill, you need to be seen by Doc Cottle?"

"I'll be fine."

"Your not a viper jock in your twenties anymore, you can't just walk of a fractured skull." Laura called after him.  
"Stubborn man." She muttered under her breath, before going to the medbay herself.

In his quarters, grabbed a bottle of whisky and eased himself on the sofa. After a couple gulps, he closed his eyes hoping that the room would stop spinning. Or at least the liquor would spin the room the opposite direction.

Bill had almost dozed off when there was a knock on the door. The noise made him jump from into consciousness, almost dropping the bottle in his hand. He still managed to spill some of the colonies' last bottle of Aquarion whisky on his floor.

"Frack." He said quietly, wiping the whisky on his shirt, and putting the bottle down out of harm's way. He kept his eyes closed, hoping the intruder would leave.

"Bill." Came a voice.

Keeping his eyes closed he responds. "Laura."

"I've brought you some medical supplies."

"How kind."

"It would have been kinder to bring the doctor himself, but then I would be able to do this."

Bill hissed in pain as Laura applied alcohol disinfectant to his bloodied knuckles.

"And I thought Doc Cottle had a bad bedside manner."

In response to his sarcasm, Laura poured some on his other hand. He hissed again.

"Ah, for frak's sake, what do you want?"

"I want to clean your wounds so that you don't die from blood poisoning. Now stay still."

"Laura please leave me alone."

"After I finish."

"I can do it myself."

"Not in your state."

He seemed to agree, as he let her continue her ministrations.

"No one blames you for New Caprica you know Bill." She says more softly now.

"I made mistakes."

"Mistakes are what make you human and not a frakking cylon."

"Usually people's mistakes don't cost people's lives."

"You and I, Bill," to emphasise her point she put her hand on his, "we are in the cursed position where we have to make choices every day that determines whether the entire human race fights another day. And every choice has an infinite number of possible outcomes and is scrutinised by the press and the people. As soon as we start second guessing ourselves we all die."

"I let myself get too close with the crew, I let my personal feelings cloud my judgement I can't let that happen again."

"If you didn't care about your crew you would have never led the search for earth, you would have stayed behind and fight a losing battle. If you didn't care about your crew, you would have left us to be tortured and slaughtered New Caprica. If you didn't care about Starbuck, if you left her behind like you would have done if she were any other pilot, we would have found a way to earth and saved those people on Caprica. We are alive because of you and your love for your people."

"I should have let them go to New Caprica."

"Do you think we could have survived as long as we did without Colonel Tigh and the Chief leading the resistance? Also as I recall, it was I who convinced you to let them leave Galatica so if you're looking for someone to blame, blame me."

"It was my call."

Laura pensively turned Bill's hand in hers. "Do you think we're too close, Bill?"

"Probably." He replied stroking her hand with his thumb.

"You think we should go back to our previous working relationship where we each thought each other was a cylon. Where you thought I was a naïve school teacher who shouldn't be taken serious and I though you were a stuffy military man who doesn't care about civilians."

"You're exaggerating."

"Ok what relationship would you like us to have then Bill?"

"For starters Madam President, you would call me Admiral even when we're alone. When I'm injured you would send a nurse and not tend to my injuries yourself. We would only see each other to discuss the fleet and not personal matters. We wouldn't fall asleep together after having smoked weed and drinking copious amounts of alcohol."

"Well that sounds like a good life, working only for the fleet and having no life of your own."

"The safety of the people comes first."

"And when the Admiral is driven mad with boredom and overwork, how will the people cope?"

"You'll choose a new Admiral."

"Then how will I cope?" Getting up now, agitated by the thought. "Look you didn't ask to be in this position and I certainly didn't ask to be in mine but the last time someone else tried to step up we ended up with Gaius frakking Baltar. So you better buck up because I can't do this with anyone else. Now stop wallowing in self pity, that's an order."

Bill stands up, unsteadily, until he's facing her, meeting her eye to eye.

"Yes ma'am." He says sincerely.


End file.
